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Syria: Christians targetted by anti-Assad militants

Radical Islamists are sowing terror among civilians in Syria, which has been embattled for more than a year as various groups vie to push President BashrAl-Assad from power. Those persons who are considered Assad loyalists, especially Christians who enjoyed a measure of tolerance during the regime, are being targetted by insurgents. Among the victims of violence at the hands of anti-Assad forces, according to the Fides news service, are there are Christians of the Damascus suburb of BabTouma and Iraqi refugees who occupied the suburbs of Oujaira and SadaZanaim.

The Islamist rebel group known as "Liwa al-Islam", "The Brigade of Islam", recently claimed responsibility for the killing of top leaders of Assad's military and national security apparatus. This same group has now killed an entire Christian family in BabTouma. Among the local faithful, reports a source of Fides, there is dismay and outrage at the assault on defenseless civilians. Liwa al-Islam militants had blocked the car of a Christian who was a civilian official, NabilZoreb. Once the insurgents had ordered them out of their car, they shot the family down in cold blood. The dead included Zoreb, his wife Violet and their two sons: George and Jimmy.

The group is very active, especially in the region of Duma, and areas east of Damascus, where they have carried out other criminal acts.

Also in the south-east of Damascus, Islamist fighters of the group " Jehad al nosra ", close to the Muslim Brotherhood, attacked the homes of Iraqi refugees, ransacking, burning them and forcing their occupants to escape. The assault was also reported by Western media like the BBC. According to Iraqi refugees, "gangs of Muslim terrorists attacked and chased us." Most of the gangs operating in the Southeast of Damascus are considered close to the Muslim Brotherhood, while members of the group "Liwa al-Islam" belong to the Wahhabi ideology. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 23/7/2012)